Elisabeth “Liz” Halliday was only seven years old when she began her love of horses and riding. Raised in California, she spent a lot of her childhood at a local stable. She joined the Fallbrook Pony Club, where she learned how to care for horses and discovered 3 Day Eventing. These early experiences shaped a lifelong passion that would guide much of her personal and professional life. In July 2024 she was able to realize a lifetime goal of competing on the US Eventing team at the Paris Olympics.

But on August 29, 2024, Liz’s life changed forever. She went from the top of her sport to permanently injured in an instant.

Competing at the American Eventing Championships in Kentucky, Liz’s horse misjudged a jump and fell, throwing her to the ground. Liz sustained a life changing head injury requiring emergency brain surgery and a month in the hospital intensive care unit.  She then moved to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago for months of intensive therapy, working desperately to rebuild movement, balance, and communication. Those first 6 months remain in a blackout of lost memory.

Throughout her recovery, Liz was closely supported by her mother, Debby, her partner Mark, and other very close friends.  When the time came, they helped guide decisions about the next stage of care. After careful consideration and site visits by Debby, they chose Centre for Neuro Skills in Dallas.

Liz was admitted to CNS Dallas’ inpatient program in March 2025. When she arrived, she faced ongoing challenges from her brain injury. The right side of her body was weak and spastic, and she needed to relearn daily activities using only her left side. She also had severe aphasia and apraxia, which greatly impacted her ability to communicate.

At CNS, Liz focused on building structure, routine, and independence. Her care addressed walking, speech, cognition, vision, and essential daily activities such as getting dressed, brushing her teeth, and writing left-handed. Counseling provided space to process the emotional aspects of recovery, while the residential environment offered consistency and opportunities to practice newly learned skills throughout the day.

“What stood out about CNS was their rigorous therapy schedule and their focus on preparing patients to return home,” Debby said. “Everything was centered on helping Liz develop the tools she would need for living a satisfying life.”

Liz worked very hard and made steady progress. By the time she was discharged, she could walk independently with the support of a cane, could write with her left hand and was steadily increasing her confidence in all areas.

While in Texas, Liz took an important step in her rehabilitation by returning to horseback riding through New Hope Equine Assisted Therapy. Riding once a week offered her a path toward regaining the life she loved and had feared was gone forever.

Liz returned home shortly before the holidays in December 2025. Today, she continues outpatient rehabilitation and works regularly with home-based therapists.  She is riding at least 4 times a week with the goal of pursuing Para Dressage competition.

While her recovery journey continues, she remains focused on steady improvement in all areas and continuing to go “up, up, up!” in every way possible.

“The journey isn’t over,” Debby said. “But Liz came home with more confidence, more tools, and renewed determination to keep moving forward. The nine months she spent at CNS were very instrumental in her ability to keep fighting and progressing. Our heartfelt thanks to the many excellent therapists and caregivers at CNS for their optimism, dedication, and skill.”